Trolley support



Jan. 31, 1933. s. s. MATTHES' TROLLEY SUPPORT Filed May 11. 1932 Inventor 614M054 SMATT 5 Attorney UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE;

SAMUEL S. MATTHES, OF

OF MAN SF ITROLLEY Application filed May 11,

My invention relates to trolley supports and of those types lmown as switches or frogs, section insulators, crossovers, etc.

My invention relates more particularly to the approach to these devices and which not only permits the current collector to move from the trolley wire onto the device with a smooth and practically uninterrupted path but also clamps and holds the trolley wire in position at the end or the device and is interlocked with the device to which it is associated to prevent rotation after installatlon.

My invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination and relation of the parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a top vlew of a trolley frog with my improved end approaches.

Fig. 2 is a side view in partial section of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3

is a section on the line 8-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. .4 is an enlarged end view of an approach secured to the end of a device which may be a frog or section msulator, or crossing,

etc.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side View of one end of the Fig. 6 is a top approach shown in Fig. 1. view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the end portion of the device to which the approach is to be secured.

Fig. 8 shows a described.

It is quite modified form of lug later desirable in a device of the class named to have it made largely of malleable iron. This does not permit forming the ends in such a manner as to be provided with lips which can be bent around the trolley wire to produce a smooth and easy run for the current collector onto and off of the device therefore,

it is customary to construct the device In the drawing I have shown my improved installed.

SUPPORT 1932. Serial No. 610,605.

approach in combination with a trolley switch. 7

The switch 8 comprises a pan portion 1 with projecting arms 2 provided with grooves 3 to receive the trolley wires ?& and '5. Detachably secured to the pan 1 by means of a bolt 6 is a two-part clamp 7 arranged to grip the trolley wires 4 and 5 by means of the bolts 8 thus making itpossible to change the pan portion 1 without disturbing the trolley wires with respect to their own relative position, it only being necessary to remove the bolt 6.

At the ends of the arms 2 are approach members 9 and 10,. The end of each arm is provided on eachside of the groove 3 with an open hook 11 forming the under cut slot 12. The approach member comprises an elongated body 13 having at one end an enlargement 1% having a cam-shaped groovedsurface 15. Projecting from opposite sides of the portion 14 are studs 16 provided with flanges 17. The axis 18 of the studs 16 is eccentrically disposed with respect to the cam surface 15.

Spaced from the cam portion 14 are oppositely disposed and depending lips 19 formmg a groove 20 to receive the trolley wire. The lips 19 are tapered from a maximum at the inner end to substantially a knifeedge at the outer end and are sufiiciently high so that when bent about the trolley wire they will practically meet at the inner end but will be somewhat spaced apart at the outer or approach end. i'I-t will be .evident that this will mean a groove 20 of maximum depth at the inner end and a somewhat less depth at the outer end.

The body 13 is provided with oppositely disposed lugs 21 which may be bent in one direction as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6 after the approach has been positioned with respect to the switch but are subject to a shearing, force in-the other direction but not bendable.

The ends of the arms 2 are provided with laterally projecting lugs 22 which are engaged. by the lugs 21. when they have been bent as shown in Fig. 6 andthus lock the approach member in position after it has been If desired, the lugs 21 may be constructed with a tapered formation as shown in Fig. 8 in place of a uniform cross section throughout their length.

To install the complete device the trolley wires 4 and 5 are first secured in position with respect to the clamp 7, and the pan 1 is then placed in position with respect to the clamp 7 and secured by means of the bolt 6. This brings the trolley wires in position above their respective arms 2 and above the grooves 3. The trolley wire at the ends of the arms is now forced downwardly which can be done to a suiiicient extent topermit the studs 16 to enter the slots 12 and to do this the approach member is applied vertically with respect to the switch, or in a backward position. Having entered the studs 16 in the slots 12 the approach is then rotated into the position shown in Fig. 2 and this causes the cam face 15 bearing against the trolley wire to force the trolley wire down securely against its seat 23.

The lips 19 may now be formed into place about the trolley wire after which the lugs 21 are bent to engage underneath the lugs 22 thus securely locking the approach in position with respect to the switch and securing the trolley wire in position. If desired the lugs 21 may be bent into position prior to the forming of the lips 19 about the wire.

The use of the lugs 21 interlocking with the non-bendable lugs 22 removes all possibility of the approach member to rotate relative to the pan 1 upon the approach of a current collector.

In some cases the switches or crossovers may be formed with the arms 2 deviating at such a small angle that the dewirement of the current collector will catch between the approach members 9 and wedge therein and to avoid the wedging action the approach members may be formed with projecting bosses 24: which have threaded orifices 25. There may be mounted upon the upper surface of the bosses 2 1 a spanning member such as a piece of bar iron 26 shown in dotted lines and which may be secured to the bosses by means of bolts 27 extending into the threaded orifices. This bar of iron will act as a buffer should the current collector be dewired and will tend to prevent the same wedging between the approach members 9.

Modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and therefore I wish to be limited only by myclaims.

I claim 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body member having a wirereceiving channel, a clamping member eccentrically pivoted on the body member and adapted to rotate to clamp the wire firmly in said channel, an integrally formed elongated extension projecting from the clamping member and having lips forming a wire-rewire,

2. Inadevice ofthe class described, the

combination of a body'member having a wire-receiving channel, an approach member pivotally mounted on the body member and having a clamping portion with a cam surface to be rotated to engage the wire and force it firmly in its channel and an extension portion having awire-receiving groove formed by depending lips adapted to be bent about the wire, laterally projecting means from the body and laterally projecting means from the approach member and one of said means to be bent into cooperative relation to the other means to prevent rotation of the approach member after the bending of said means, the force preventing the rotation of the approach member being substantially at right angles to that required to I end the said means.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body member having a wirereceiving channel, an approach member pivotally mounted on the body member and havin g a clamping portion with a cam surface to be rotated to engage the wire and force it firmly in its channel and an extension portion having a wire-receiving groove formed by depending lips adapted to be bent about the projecting means from the body and laterally projecting means from the approach member and one of said means to be bent into cooperative relation to the other means to prevent rotation of the approach member after the bending of said means, the said means placed in shear when the approach member tends to rotate.

4t. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body member having a wirereceiving channel, an approach member pivotally mounted on the body member and havingva clamping portion with a cam surface to be rotated to engage the wire and force it firmly in its channel and an extension portion having a wire-receiving groove formed by depending lips adapted to be bent about the wire, projectinx means on the body engaged means on the approach member bendable into locking engagement with the lower face of the projecting means to prevent back-rotation of the approach member.

5. A trolley frog comprising a body member having projecting grooved arms, means to detachably secure a trolley wire thereto and resting in the groove of he arms, a sup porting member, means to secure the trolley wire to the support and other means to derlii tachably secure the support to the body member without disturbing the trolley wire relative to the support, oppositely disposed upstanding lugs at the ends of the arms on each side of the. groove and having undercut slots therein, the securing means consisting of a clamp rotatively pivoted in the said slots and having a cam clamping portion to firmly secure the trolley wire in the groove and an extending portion adapted for direct attachment to the trolley wire beyond the end of the arm, projecting means on the arms having upper and lower faces and bendable projecting means on the extending portion and bend able towards each other to engage the said lower faces to lock the securing means against rotation in a releasing direction.

6. An approach device comprising an elongated member having a cam portion at one end with a wireengaging surface and a wirereceiving groove at the other end formed with spaced bendable lips to grip the wire, pivot studs projecting from the cam portion and eccentrically disposed relative to the wire-engaging surface of the cam portion and one or more lugs projecting laterally from the elongated member intermediate the ends of the member and so placed relative to the pivot axis that they will pass laterally projecting lugs ona support for. the approach device when the device is rotated into position.

7. An approach device comprising an elongated member having a cam portion at one end with a wire-engaging surface and a wire receiving groove at the other end to grip the wire, pivot studs projecting from the cam portion and eccentrically disposed relative to the wire-engaging surface of the cam portion and one or more lugs projecting laterally from the elongated member intermediate the ends of the member and bendable along the longitudinal axis of the device and in the general direction of the cam.

8. The combination of a body member, a.

pivotally mounted lever having a wire clamping cam adjacent its pivotal point for clamping the wire on the body member and having means adjacent its other end for direct attachment to the trolley wire after the lever has rotated the cam into clamping position, means integral with the said body having a lower face to be engaged by an upper face on a laterally projecting bendable means on lever for locking said lever in the position to which it has been rotated.

9. An elongated clamping lever comprising a wire clamping cam at one end and having a wire clamping surface means at its other end for direct attachment to the wire, pivot lugs projecting from the cam eccentrically positioned relative to its wire clamping surface pivot lugs and boss and bendable in a longitudinal direction to a position substantially parallel to the side of the lever.

10. In a device of the class described, a body member having a channel for the trolley wire, in combination with undercut lugs on said body member, and a rotary clamp member removably pivoted in said lugs for clamping the trolley wire in said channel and having an extension member directly attachable to the trolley wire and projecting bendable means on the extension member movable into engagement with the body member and into locking engagement with the lower face of non-bendable means projecting from the body member after the clamp member has been rotated into clamping position.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body member having walls forming a wire receiving groove, a clamping member pivoted on said body and having a cam surface to engage the wire and force it firmly into the groove when the clamping member isrotated, means projecting from the clamping member beyond the end of the body member and in alignment therewith to receive and interlock with the wire, separate means projecting laterally in opposite directions from the side faces of the walls of the body member and means projecting from the first said pro ecting means to engage with the said laterally projecting means on the body to prevent counter-rotation of the clamping member.

12. A an for a trolley frog comprising an elongat-ec body member having projectin guide arms from the ends thereof with spacec side walls forming a wire receiving groove; means on the body between the arms to detachably secure the wire thereto, an upstanding lug on the free edge of each wall adjacent the end of the arm andhaving an undercut slot to receive a rotatable clamp between the walls to clamp the trolley wire and means projecting from the outer side faces of the walls to be engaged by means on the rotary clamp to retain it in its clamping position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

SAMUEL S. MATTHES.

and a projecting boss adjacent the end of the i lever distant from the cam and having means for attachment thereto and a lug projecting laterally from said lever intermediate the 

